Overview (3)

Mini Bio (1)

Uma Karuna Thurman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, into a highly unorthodox and Eurocentric family. She is the daughter of Nena Thurman (née Birgitte Caroline von Schlebrügge), a fashion model and socialite who now runs a mountain retreat, and of Robert Thurman (Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman), a professor and academic who is one of the nation's foremost Buddhist scholars. Uma's mother was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to a German father and a Swedish mother (who herself was of Swedish, Danish, and German descent). Uma's father, a New Yorker, has English, Scots-Irish, Scottish, and German ancestry. Uma grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts, where her father worked at Amherst College.

Thurman's household was one in which the The Dalai Lama was an occasional guest; she and her siblings all have names deriving from Buddhist mythology; and Middle American behavior was little understood, much less pursued. And so it was that the young Thurman confronted childhood with an odd name and eccentric home life -- and nature seemingly conspired against her as well. She is six feet tall, and from an early age towered over everyone else in class. Her famously large feet would soon sprout to size 11 -- and even beyond that -- and although they would eventually be lovingly filmed by director Quentin Tarantino, as a child she generally wore the biggest shoes in class, which only provided another subject of ridicule. Even her long nose moved one of her mother's friends to helpfully suggest rhinoplasty -- to the ten-year-old Thurman. To make matters worse yet, the family constantly relocated, making the gangly, socially inept Thurman perpetually the new kid in class. The result was an exceptionally awkward, self-conscious, lonely and alienated childhood.

Unsurprisingly, the young Thurman enjoyed making believe she was someone other than herself, and so thrived at acting in school plays -- her sole successful extracurricular activity. This interest, and her lanky frame, perfect for modeling, led the 15-year-old Thurman to New York City for high school and modeling work (including a layout in Glamour Magazine) as she sought acting roles. The roles soon came, starting with a few formulaic and forgettable Hollywood products, but immediately followed by Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) and Stephen Frears' Dangerous Liaisons (1988), both of which brought much attention to her unorthodox sensuality and performances that intriguingly combined innocence and worldliness. The weird, gangly girl became a sex symbol virtually overnight.

Thurman continued to be offered good roles in Hollywood pictures into the early '90s, the least commercially successful but probably best-known of which was her smoldering, astonishingly-adult performance as June, Henry Miller's wife, in Henry & June (1990), the first movie to actually receive the dreaded NC-17 rating in the USA. After a celebrated start, Thurman's career stalled in the early '90s with movies such as the mediocre Mad Dog and Glory (1993). Worse, her first starring role was in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), which had endured a tortured journey from cult-favorite book to big-budget movie, and was a critical and financial debacle. Fortunately, Uma bounced back with a brilliant performance as Mia Wallace, that most unorthodox of all gangster's molls, in Tarantino's lauded, hugely successful Pulp Fiction (1994), a role for which Thurman received an Academy Award nomination.

A return to the mainstream spotlight came when Thurman redeemed with Quentin Tarantino for Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), a revenge flick the two had dreamed up on the set of Pulp Fiction (1994). She also turned up in the John Woo cautioner Paycheck (2003) that same year. The renewed attention was not altogether welcome because Thurman was dealing with the break-up of her marriage with Hawke at about this time. Thurman handled the situation with grace, however, and took her surging popularity in stride. She garnered critical acclaim for her work in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) and was hailed as Tarantino's muse. Thurman reunited with Pulp Fiction (1994) dance partner John Travolta for the Get Shorty (1995) sequel Be Cool (2005) and played Ulla in The Producers (2005).

Thurman had been briefly married to Gary Oldman, from 1990 to 1992. In 1998, she married Ethan Hawke, her co-star in the offbeat futuristic thriller Gattaca (1997). The couple had two children, Levon and Maya. Hawke and Thurman filed for divorce in 2004.

Her father, Robert Thurman, is a professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University School of Religion. He was the first westerner to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Uma was named for a Hindu goddess. Robert's family has been in the United States for many generations, and he has English, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), Scottish, and German ancestry.

Uma's mother, Nena Thurman, who was born as Birgitte Caroline von Schlebrügge in Mexico City, Mexico, is a model-turned-psychotherapist, who was a young teenager when she was discovered in Stockholm by photographer Norman Parkinson. Uma's maternal grandfather, Friedrich Karl Johannes von Schlebrügge, was a Prussian nobleman. Uma's maternal grandmother, Brigit Holmquist, was born in Sweden, to a father of Swedish descent and a mother of German and Danish ancestry. Brigit's father was a famous local industrialist, and Brigit was herself a famous beauty. A nude statue, called 'Famntaget' (The Embrace), of Brigit, stands in the port town of Trelleborg. Uma's maternal grandparents moved to Mexico, where Nena was born. Artist Salvador Dalí introduced Nena to her first husband, Timothy Leary.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#20). [1995]

Uma's middle name, Karuna, is one of the four sublime abodes in Buddhism. It means "compassion." The other 3 sublime abodes are Metta (Loving kindness), Mudita (Sympathetic joy), and Upekkha (Equanimity).

Attended Northfield Mount Hermon boarding school in Northfield, Massachusetts during her freshman and sophomore years, approximately 25 miles from her home town at the time, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Named after the goddess of light and beauty in Indian Mythology.

Uma and Ethan Hawke's daughter's name is Maya; which is also the name of the character that Uma played in Duke of Groove (1996).

Has shades of Lancome lipsticks named after her (available only in Asia).

Her mother, Nena Thurman, was once married to LSD proponent Timothy Leary. The marriage lasted less than a year (1964-1965). Their wedding, which took place in Nepal, was the subject of a 15-minute documentary entitled "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You". Nena married Uma's father, Robert Thurman, two years later in 1967.

Has a half-sister born in 1961 named Taya Thurman, from her father's brief marriage to Christophe De Menil. Naturally, having different moms, they didn't grow up in the same household, but once Uma reached adulthood they became very close and she considers Taya as real a sibling as her three brothers.

Wears a size 11 shoe.

In Portuguese, her name means "one".

She is on the Board of Directors of Room to Grow, a non-profit organization founded by Rob Reiner, dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first 3 years of development.

Her uncle, John Thurman, is a professional concert cellist who performs with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Supported the Junior Senator (John Kerry) from her native state (Massachusetts) for President of the United States.

She attended Amherst Regional Middle School, Massachusetts, for grade 7 and 8 and had Ester Haskell as an English teacher. She later visited that school to contribute to the Women's History assembly. The children were thrilled.

Named #21 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.

Followed in the footsteps of both her mother and grandmother into the world of modeling.

Was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier De l'Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres) by France on February 7, 2006. Presenting the prize on behalf of the French Ministry of Culture, Cannes Film Festival President Gilles Jacob told Thurman she was "admired throughout the world" and that her career would "make her the favorite actress of an entire generation." The Order of Arts and Letters is given out twice annually to a few hundred people worldwide.

Ranked as #67 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement.

Before she began work on Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Uma had to shed 60 lbs. of pregnancy weight. She trained in three styles of kung fu and two styles of sword fighting, plus knife throwing, knife fighting and hand-to-hand combat.

Has appeared in two films quoting the proverb "revenge is a dish best served cold", Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Batman & Robin (1997) as well as Dangerous Liaisons (1988), an adaptation of the novel often credited with originating that expression.

In 2010, Thurman's £6,000,000 ($10,000,000) lawsuit against London-based Handmade Films, the production company behind Eloise in Paris, was settled. Thurman had hired Bert Fields to represent her, claiming that not only had Handmade not paid her an agreed £2,800,000 pay-or-play fee for the film, but that she had also lost earnings waiting for it to begin production.

Next to Quentin Tarantino, she presented the Palme D'or to Kis Uykusu (2014) at the 67th Cannes Film Festival. She attended the stage barefoot.

In 2009, her close friend Natasha Richardson, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) co-star David Carradine and half-nephew Dash Snow all died in quick succession, each under tragic circumstances: Richardson from a head injury whilst skiing, Carradine from an apparent sex game gone wrong, and Snow from a heroin overdose.

Refused two proposals from Ethan Hawke before agreeing to marry him. She was 7 months pregnant at their wedding and gave no explanation for the delay--prompting some to speculate Uma had suspicions about a possible affair between Ethan and Gwyneth Paltrow during the filming of Great Expectations (1998).

Regrets turning down the role of Arwen in Lord Of The Rings franchise.

She and André Balazs broke up again in late 2015 or early 2016 without issuing a press release. In August 2017, soon after Balazs fathered a child by Cosima Vesey, he and Thurman were spotted on Shelter Island but her publicist denies they're back together.

Some references cite Karen as Ms. Thurman's middle name.

She has size 11 feet, which she reportedly hates.

Jack Jordan, a University of Chicago graduate turned drifter who lived in his car, began sending Thurman and people around her love-besotted notes and creepy drawings in 2005. Jordan was arrested in October 2007 and May 2008 for stalking Thurman and in November 2010 for violating probation by attempting to contact her via telephone.

When their 18-month marriage ended, she and Gary Oldman made a pact not to talk about each other.

Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1993 and 2004).

Court documents from her January 2017 custody battle with Arpad Busson over daughter Luna reveal Thurman has been taking Triazolam, Wellbutrin and Klonopin - medications which treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Before the start of the trial, a judge had denied her request to have the proceedings closed to the media.

Her warm friendship with director Quentin Tarantino (who calls her his muse) nearly ended following an accident on the set of Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). Tarantino had apparently pressured her into doing a car stunt that went wrong, causing chronic neck and knee injuries that persist to this day. The production company, Miramax, withheld all proof of the accident unless Thurman agreed to sign a waiver (which she refused to do), releasing them and Tarantino from any liability. Despite Tarantino's profuse apologies, things remained very acrimonious between the two, until they finally reconciled their friendship nearly a decade later. Thurman only came forward with the incident in 2018 after Tarantino had finally given her access to footage from the accident, and Tarantino stated multiple times that he regretted asking her to do the stunt in the first place since the footage never even made it into the film.

Made her Broadway debut in Beau Willimon's political drama "The Parisian Woman" at Hudson Theatre in 2017. Rumored real-life beau Josh Lucas plays her husband onstage.

Personal Quotes (28)

I'm very happy at home. I love to just hang out with my daughter, I love to work in my garden. I'm not a gaping hole of need.

It is better to have a relationship with someone who cheats on you than with someone who does not flush the toilet.

I was not particularly bright, I wasn't very athletic, I was a little too tall, odd, funny looking, I was just really weird as a kid.

Desperation is the perfume of the young actor. It's so satisfying to have gotten rid of it. If you keep smelling it, it can drive you crazy. In this business a lot of people go nuts, go eccentric, even end up dead from it. Not my plan.

My washing machine overwhelms me with its options and its sophistication.

"Everyone looked the same, everyone had it down to such a perfect T. You get bored. That's when you have to say, 'I will be worst-dressed.'", on her questionable choice of Oscar attire this year (2004)

I had to go to a mirror and look at it. I couldn't picture myself in my own head. I had no image beyond a stick figure. I wasn't a mean person as a kid, or dumb, and something has to be said to justify excluding you.

Before I had my child, I thought I knew all the boundaries of myself, that I understood the limits of my heart. It's extraordinary to have all those limits thrown out, to realize your love is inexhaustible.

I think we all exude essential truths about ourselves, and then, as an actress, there's what you do with it. There's your wit and your imagination, and what you can cook up from your experience and understanding of what makes a human being tick.

In show business, to pry open doors in new areas is really tough. Until you have a successful comedy, people don't think you could be funny, which is what makes a director like Quentin Tarantino so special. He sees beyond the things on the resume that you've done to date and opens up wonderful cans of worms for you to crawl into. That's a cool thing.

Having children flips the game from being about you to being about what you can create in a home and what your responsibilities are. I've thought about quitting, but I love what I do so much - it's the big conundrum of my life.... So I'm fighting to keep my foot in the business, be creative and stimulated, and still take care of my children.

I've known some great rock chicks, and it seems to me they're allowed to have a lot more edge than movie people, where everybody's got the latest youth serums going, the newest exercise and, if that won't cover it, they'll do something else. There's this sort of improve-yourself aspect, whereas the music business seems to have this much more funky attitude, with, like, a slight respect for damage.

I've learned that every working mom is a superwoman.

By the time I was 27, when I had my daughter, I felt I had danced on every tabletop - which I hadn't. Now I know that I hadn't. At all. There are plenty of tabletops left, should I wish to dance on them. (In Style - February 2006 - "Uma In Full Swing" by Joanne Kaufman)

Growing up in a small town in New England was one of the most aesthetically pleasant experiences that you can have. (In Style - February 2006 - "Uma In Full Swing" by Joanne Kaufman)

It's a shakedown. But I feel grateful that the hard things have been survivable - I've been able to learn from them and grow - and that the things that have been like a gift, I've had the wherewithal to realize are a gift. (In Style - February 2006 - "Uma In Full Swing" by Joanne Kaufman)

As they say in gambling, I've gotten to stay at the table. I've hung in! They pull the plug on people all the time. The sky hook comes out, and it's all over. But there are much bigger sky hooks - as well we know. (In Style - February 2006 - "Uma In Full Swing" by Joanne Kaufman)

I think a lot of our lives we spend moving forward, leaping from rock to rock, trying to figure it out. But it's wonderful to feel in the prime of your life. I feel like I'm in the right place and in the right time with myself. (In Style - February 2006 - "Uma In Full Swing" by Joanne Kaufman)

You learn that the first failure isn't the end. I thought I'd seen the end of my career 10 times over. I've experienced them as death blows. What's nice - after numerous efforts, successes, failures, losses, professional and personal - is to actually accept you're not going to ace your life. You suffer, then you get on with it. You may spend three months in bed, but, eventually, you're going to have to get up.

When I was a teenager people often referred to me as jaded or knowing. It's a classic teen illusion to think you know it all, but I've certainly learned I don't.

Any guy who shows his penis in a movie gets my round of applause.

[on her mother's brief first marriage to drug guru Timothy Leary] People shouldn't be defined by these early alliances in their lives.

As a kid I changed school so many times, I was never particularly integrated into any sort of social strata with other children. Plays were one of the few things that I felt a desire to participate in. On stage I didn't feel any inhibitions. Acting gave me a way to express myself.

Look, I wasn't discovered at McDonald's or Howard Johnson's. My background prepared me for life and gave me a fairly open, free-thinking attitude to life and this business we're in. Common sense is highly underrated.

I've been doing this [acting] for years and years and years, and people say things nice and they say things mean, and it's just like, whatever. You take the good with the bad.

I'm enjoying getting older because I feel I didn't appreciate being pretty when I was younger. I felt terrible. When I was 10, someone told me I had an ugly smile, so I spent the whole of my younger years feeling embarrassed and never smiling with my mouth open. But what are you going to do?

I've never really found a niche - as they say in Hollywood - of, you know, an Uma Thurman movie. There is no "Uma Thurman movie" because I change so often. Being an actress is not about yourself. It's about discovering other things and other people and other cultures. The richness that that has brought to my life and me as an individual is immeasurable.